OPERATIONS / REACTORS & SERVICES

February 17, 2012

AREVA welcomes the announcement by the Next Generation Nuclear Plant (NGNP) Industry Alliance LLC that AREVA’s prismatic core, 625 MW thermal, steam cycle modular high temperature gas-cooled reactor (SC-HTGR), AREVA’s HTGR Generation IV reactor, was selected as the reactor design concept  to provide high temperature process steam for industrial applications and electricity production. 

“We are very pleased that the Alliance has selected the AREVA prismatic core, modular HTGR for the co-generation of process heat and electricity”, stated Mike Rencheck, Chief Operating Officer, AREVA Inc. “The industrial end-user requirements have been the primary consideration for making this advanced technology selection over other small modular reactors. The co-generation aspects offer long term, predictable energy supply.”

The Alliance industrial partners highlighted the advanced safety and performance features of our technology.  Entergy Nuclear, as a member of the Alliance, has assumed the role of applicant for the HTGR pre-application and licensing activities for the Alliance in response to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) Regulatory Issue Summary, 2011-02 Rev1 - “Licensing Submittal Information and Design Development Activities for Small Modular Reactor Designs”.

The SC-HTGR design offers excellent passive and inherent safety features while producing unique high temperature performance capabilities that are well suited for co-generation providing a broad range of process heat and/or power generation applications. 

The benefits of providing high temperature process steam include:

• 566°C main steam temperatures to drive scale industrial processes.
• Stabilized, long term fuel costs for energy intensive industries, enabling sustainable expansion of American industrial manufacturing
• Reduced greenhouse gases (GHG) through large scale displacement of premium fossil fuels in a wide range of industrial and commercial applications
• Job creation within the U.S. supplying materials and equipment to construct and operate HTGR-based industrial infrastructure
• Reduced reliance on imported oil and gas supplies as industry fuels
• Extending life of domestic oil as a strategic asset for transportation fuels and natural gas as a chemical feedstock

AREVA will continue its work with the NGNP Industry Alliance on next steps for bringing the SC-HTGR design to market.   The NGNP Industry Alliance is an important part of AREVA’s commitment to expanding the use of CO2-free energy around the world.